Man Utd Transfer Signings + Rumours

PHB

Essien looks increasingly unlikely, which I'm kinda happy about:

Michael Essien has stated his desire to leave French champions Lyon and join Chelsea as soon as possible.

The Ghanaian international has attracted the interest of the Premiership champions this close season, while Manchester United and Real Madrid are also known admirers of the 22-year-old.

Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has stood firm over keeping the former Bastia player, having previously stated that he would not sell him for £25 million.

The midfielder, however, has now made it clear that he wants to leave Stade Gerland and join The Blues, claiming he cannot afford to miss out on such an opportunity at this stage of his career.

"I want to leave," Essien told L'Equipe. "I have had plenty of thought on this during my holidays.

"It is time for me to leave, and I won't change my mind.

"To me, Lyon is over. I won't go to Korea (for pre-season) with the team.

"It is in my interest, and in Lyon's interest, that I leave.

"Now, I hope the chairman won't prevent me from seizing that opportunity.

"I want to play in England and at Chelsea. I am already at Chelsea in my mind. I am dreaming about that.

"I want to go because if not, I will regret it all my life. If I stay, I don't know in what state of mind I will be."

Despite clearly stating his desire to leave, Aulas again made clear that the African talent is not for sale.

"It is not a matter of money, but a matter of principle," Aulas told L'Est Republicain.

"Anyway, we won't sell him."

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Ballack is being linked to us in literally every single paper and every website, whether that means we've made an approach I don't know, but I'd rather a def mid bought.
Scholes is still 29, and even though he had a bad season last year, he still physically is able to preform, and if he gets back to his old level he would be as good as Ballack.
That said, I'd still love to see another midfielder in the mix, either offensive or defensive.

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Spector goes for a season long move to Chartlon, which is great to see.

Manchester United teenager Jonathan Spector has joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan.

The American defender has been allowed to head to The Valley to build up his first-team experience under the care of Alan Curbishley.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson rates Spector highly and handed the stopper his debut as an 18-year-old last season.

Spector made his bow in the Community Shield against Arsenal and went on to make seven further appearances, the last being against Exeter City in the FA Cup.

He was due to join Blackburn Rovers on loan in January but Ferguson wanted to keep Spector at Old Trafford to provide cover in his squad.

Ferguson has now decided he has sufficient options for next season, with Spector's agent Steve Kelly believing the youngster will benefit from the experience.

"This is a huge opportunity and he is extremely excited," said Kelly.

"It is a great chance for him to pick up Premiership experience."

Spector's arrival in the capital follows on from Charlton's capture of Chris Powell, with Curbishley now having fully replaced Paul Konchesky at left back.

Though the bulk of Spector's appearances for United have been at full back, he can also play in the centre of defence and his versatility will be a plus for The Addicks.

I'm really happy to see him get some premiership experience, especially at a team who will need him a lot.
Hopefully now Rossi and Jones will get either long experience or first team action.
I think this means that Pique is now considered as the backup option, which is good.
Its also really good for Charlton, cause Spector is a quality quality player.

Mitch Connor

the coming season is going to be as painful and disappointing as last was.

PHB

Nope, coming season will result in a quadruple
Show some faith!

Mitch Connor

i would love to, but i do not see van der Saar and Park being sufficient additions to the squad if we hope to compete for the league and CL. We need a big game all action midfielder.

Jivin Turkey

PHB wrote:

Scholes is still 29

Just to let you know Scholes will turn 31 a couple of months. And I also think the end for him is sooner than a lot of people think.

Well apart from the boys at Oldham

bizmark

PHB wrote:

Nope, coming season will result in a quadruple
Show some faith!

For chelsea maybe

PHB

Ah so he is 30, my mistake.
I can't wait to see him play for Oldham I think it'll be hilarious.
I figure he has one more season at United, but I think it'll be a good one.

Mitch Connor

if rooney is played where he is best and keane is still first choice i doubt scholes will make much of an impact

PHB

So you mean if Rooney plays as the second striker off Van Nist?
Thus in turn Ferige reverts to a 4-4-2 and plays Keano and Fletcher in the center?
You should go to a bookie, cause you'd get amazing odds on that

Mitch Connor

While we continue to play a 3 man midfield with rooney coming from deep, rooney and scholes will get in each others way if scholes is allowed to play how he likes. Scholes gets pushed back to accompany Keane in the middle so he does not get to play in the space between the midfield and the defence which is where he (and Rooney) are best. Basically, the way united play, it is not possible to get the best out of rooney and scholes. not imo. You either drop rooney and play scholes 'in the hole' or you push scholes back and basically take him out of the game. Its all down to keane too imo. He can not play in a two man middle anymore, he needs the third man. If we signed Gattuso (my ideal signing), which we won't i believe we could play this:

...........................vds
.Neville.....Ferdinand...Silvestre..Heinze
..Ronaldo......Gattuso.......Scholes....Park
.................Rooney....Ruud

I still think Rooney and Scholes would get in each others wat on occasion but scholes would also be allowed more freedom in his movement. There were times last season, especially Newcastle in the FA Cup, where scholes and rooney looked like the were born to play footie together. i would like to see more of that but with the way scholes is currently shackled to accomodate BOTH rooney and keane i can't see scholes being the player he can be.

PHB

Well we aren't going to sign Gattuso and we aren't going to play 4-4-2, its just that simple!
It might be nice, but it ain't gona happen.

We will however play this formation

VDS
Neville - Ferdinand - Slyvestre - Heinze

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Keano

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Fletcher

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Scholes

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Ronaldo

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Rooney

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Van Nist

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That is Fergie's top formation, the one that Fergie will play in the big games if he can
Saha will try and break into the Rooney spot.
Rooney might push into the Scholes spot.
Park will compete all along the wings.
Kleb + Fortune will provide cover for Keano and Fletcher.
Smith will cover for Van Nist.

If we did sign say Gattuso, he would just replace Fletcher probably next season, and then takeover Keano in the following.
Fletcher is Keano's legs.

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How is Scholes shackled to Rooney?
Rooney play from the left and drops into the middle.
Scholes doesn't play in the hole, he never has. Sheringham has.
Scholes plays as an attacking midfielder, but nowhere near as attacking as say Ballack of Sheringham.
They don't get in each others way, they link up very very well actually.
As you saw in the Newcastle game

Mitch Connor

they both enjoy playing in the space between the defence and midfield - they can get in each others way or end up in positions they don't want to be in because they are leaving room for the other one. when they are on the same page they can be awesome together - and i hate seeing rooney out on the left

PHB

but that doesn't happen.
It might happen if you just look at paper and goe, oh look there is one space there that they are both using, but Rooney is a forward who drops deep, Scholes is a midfielder who pushes forward, they do not get in the way of each other.
If say Rooney was in the same squad as Henry I could understand what you're saying, but its not like that.

p.s.
I fully expect Saha to push ROoney out of his place, and for Rooney to still be a youth player next year.
I rate Saha incredibly highly and so does SAF.

Mitch Connor

i think it is more likely for saha to push ruud out, based on current form. 4 months back from injury and not showing much improvement) I think Saha(when fit) would be better for the team then Ruud. He is a very good finisher and is quicker and better in the air then ruud. his mobility would play into the scholes/rooney/ronaldo interchanging better then ruud.

_blank_

Can't Rooney settling to be a youth player, what with the World Cup next summer.

Anyway, why should he, he is a class act, a great player who should be in the starting eleven.

Mitch Connor

seansouth wrote:

Can't Rooney settling to be a youth player, what with the World Cup next summer.

Anyway, why should he, he is a class act, a great player who should be in the starting eleven.

agreed - was our most dangerous player last season.

andyman

Gary Neville told The Mirror as Man Utd announced their new away strip that he thinks we can go through the season unbeaten.

Mitch Connor

Oh Gary, you're so funny! we didn't even go the first game of last season unbeaten!

one or two more players in and we could do it (if arsenal can and chelsea almost did) but not with the current squad imo.

wheres me jumpa

i seem to remember david beckham cursing us with a similar statement a few years back.

Jimi-Spandex

I reckon we will sign ballack if he doesn't sign a new contract with Bayern. It won't happen till Chelsea complete their other signings(prob essien & swp). I wouldn't be that disappointed if VDS and Park were our lot for the summer. I reckon it'd go something like this:

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Van Der Sar

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--Gaz---Rio----Sly---Gaby--

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Keano

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(Kleb/Jones/Pip/Sheazy/Fortune/Miller)*
--Fletcher

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Scholes

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<--/
Ronaldo

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Giggs (Rooney/Saha/Park)*

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Ruud

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(Smudger/Saha/Rossi)*

*Delete/replace as you want/as they get injured.

Headshot

we need 2 more players at lest

i think chelsea wont go for essien

PHB

i think it is more likely for saha to push ruud out, based on current form. 4 months back from injury and not showing much improvement) I think Saha(when fit) would be better for the team then Ruud. He is a very good finisher and is quicker and better in the air then ruud. his mobility would play into the scholes/rooney/ronaldo interchanging better then ruud.

I'm sorry?
Saha is a very good finisher, I agree.
Van Nist is one of the, if not the best finisher in the box in the entire world. Some people might argue that there are a couple of other better ones, but full stop, if a chance comes Van Nist will finish it.
It wasn't 4 months btw, it was 2 months, because he was rushed back from injury 2 months early, as Fergie said about 6 times and as Van Nist lamented.
Saha is not better in the air than Ruud, he just isn't.
Saha is quicker, but Ruud imo is the best positional player in the entire world, he is an integeral part of Man United's 4-3-3 system, because he has the ability to hold up the ball and disribute, and then get into the box amazingly.

I really like Saha, but don't be so bloody silly to suggest that Saha could push Ruud because Ruud had a poor season last year, poor season btw is 16 goals in 25 apparences.
Also Top scorer in the CL for the 3rd time in 4 years.
Stop being silly.

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Jimi-Spandex

Gill has said we are lookign at one more area where we need a player.
Fergie has said the same.
When Fergie completes his last transfer of the summer, he always comes right out and says it and ends most media speculation cause he has only broken that once, it being Rooney.
There will be one more player signed, probably in midfield, maybe in defense, not up front.

Mitch Connor

I disagree with you, i think ruud is terrible in the air, he never finds anyone with his flick ons, Saha does. Ruud is a top finisher, but he was crap last season and looked no better playing for holland at the end of the season then he did when he came back against Milan. If you are going to argue i am being silly, how can you suggest Saha could oust Rooney (our best attacker by far last season) considering rooney spent most of his time deep or on the wing. Please do not suggest we are going to go down the liverpool route of playing an out and out striker on the left wing cause he is fast and is left footed. Saha is a striker and would be wasted on the wing. Saha and Ruud are our frontmen, one will play, one will not unless we are resting rooney and playing an orthadox 442.

PHB

disagree with you, i think ruud is terrible in the air, he never finds anyone with his flick ons, Saha does. Ruud is a top finisher, but he was crap last season and looked no better playing for holland at the end of the season then he did when he came back against Milan. If you are going to argue i am being silly, how can you suggest Saha could oust Rooney (our best attacker by far last season) considering rooney spent most of his time deep or on the wing. Please do not suggest we are going to go down the liverpool route of playing an out and out striker on the left wing cause he is fast and is left footed. Saha is a striker and would be wasted on the wing. Saha and Ruud are our frontmen, one will play, one will not unless we are resting rooney and playing an orthadox 442.

The reason I said Saha might push Rooney for a spot is because there is no way that any other striker in the Man United, and maybe two others in the premiership could dislodge Ruud.
He is the one world world class player at his prime at United.
The guy was out for the majority of the season, and you want him to come back amazingly????
He looked first off for holland, as he did what he always does, scores first, always the first goal in the big games, thats what Ruud does.
Ruud doesn't do flick ons, he is a predator, he nearly always trys to score, full stop.
p.s.
If Rooney was our best striker last year, how come he scored 2 more goals than Van Nist, despite playing in nearly all the games once he returned from injury at the start.

If you don't remember Van Nist from every other season except last, then you'll be flabbergasted next season when he puts away 20 goals in the premiership without blinking, which he will do.

This is the problem with people with short term memories, you remember the misses in the FA cup final.
I'm sure you'd go on about how well Rooney did in that game.
Rooney had a great game, but wait, show me the results?
Oh yes, 3 shots, one blaster on target, and lots of nice runs which got where? nowhere.
Ruud had two decent chances in the FA Cup final, and cause he missed them all of a sudden hes not world class.
I'll tell ya what, go look at the Lyon game back at the start of last year if you can remember that far back, and tell me why we came back from 2-0 down to get a draw, cause theres only a one word anwser, and its Ruud

TheMonster

Typical of the sh!te fair weather United fans come out with. Rooney looks the part(and is hyped up by the press) but any real United fan knows the importance of Ruud, and more importantly Fergie does. Rooney will get better he is not the finished article yet, but don't think he will ever be a 30 goal a year player.

I would love to see a team with a front 3 of Ruud,Saha and Ronaldo backed up centrally by Rooney with Keane and ANother holding.

Mitch Connor

Ruud is a fantastic player, you won't get an argument from me on that. but his record last season was poor, he admits it himself. yes he got 16 goals, with half of them coming from just 3 games, when he is on form there is no one better and scoring the goals we need. I didn't say rooney was our best striker, i said he was our best attacker, its different. Rooney is not an out and out goal-scorer like Ruud, so i think it is unfair to compare scoring records. Also, Rooney was played out of position for most of, if not all of, the season. Rooney is best playing off a striker and coming from deep. Rooney spent most his time either playing as a winger coming inside or as the lone striker himself.

I hope Ruud is back to his best next season, but if he is not i would expect Saha to replace him, i do not see what the problem with that is.

Jivin Turkey

TheMonster wrote:

I would love to see a team with a front 3 of Ruud,Saha and Ronaldo backed up centrally by Rooney with Keane and ANother holding.

I would also love to see United play with that team. They would leak goals all over the park.

Mitch Connor

Jivin Turkey wrote:

I would also love to see United play with that team. They would leak goals all over the park.

I disagree - probably only in their goal. i doubt we could leak a goal on the half way line.

Jivin Turkey

Tauren wrote:

I disagree - probably only in their goal. i doubt we could leak a goal on the half way line.

Well you can be pedantic if you like but they would actually leak goals from the middle of the park to. Thats where some of the moves would start due to total lack of cover and width from their front six players.

TheMonster

Tauren wrote:

I disagree - probably only in their goal. i doubt we could leak a goal on the half way line.

Tauren - theres certain people its worth adding to your ignore list...

Mitch Connor

you obviously know nothing about football, real madrid have been playing similar to that over the last two years and have been fine.........

Mitch Connor

TheMonster wrote:

Tauren - theres certain people its worth adding to your ignore list...

but i enjoy petty arguments from time to time. its fun to poke irrelevent holes in peoples argument while staying as far away from the central point as possible

Jivin Turkey

TheMonster wrote:

Tauren - theres certain people its worth adding to your ignore list...

Haha good man. The irony of it all. The only reason I dont have you on ignore is because I love seeing you out do and out do yourself with your Liverpool bitterness. About 60% of your entire posts on these boards have some sort of dig at Liverpool. I mean who the funk could be bitter about Liverpool?

I made a valid comment that I dont think United could hold up defensively with three strikers and with Rooney playing in midfield, alongside Keane and presumably Fletcher (given their current squad). It may be interesting to watch in a Newcastle or Ossie Ardiles's patented 5-0-5 way but it wont win you championships.

I cant wait for this new imrpoved United to play Real in the CL final. It will be way better than this years match. 8-8.

PHB

I think Saha(when fit) would be better for the team then Ruud. He

Compared to

I hope Ruud is back to his best next season, but if he is not i would expect Saha to replace him, i do not see what the problem with that is.

You're coming to your senses a little, but you seem to have just utterly forgotton Ruud from beyond 6 months ago. Its nuts.

As for playing with
Rooney Ruud Saha and Ronaldo as the front 4.
Milan play a style similar to that kinda, with 6 players in defense, but we would leak goals left right and centre, since we'd have no wingers tracking back.
A striker who drops deep is not a midfielder, but I think Fergie is trying to turn Rooney into that

Mitch Connor

i stand by what i said regarding saha being better for the team - but i should clarify that i mean this in terms of the formation as we played last season. Ruud is always on the shoulder of the last defender, if he is not there something has happened to him. When we were at our best last year we had Giggs, Ronaldo and Rooney moving all over the front line and swapping positions, Saha is more capable of continuing that then Ruud is, Ruud would be wasted swapping positions with anyone. However, if ruud can rediscover his scoring touch the rest of the team can be made to fit around him as opposed to the players being made to fit the formation.

PHB

Ok, so let me get this straight.
You want to have Giggs Ronaldo Rooney and Saha moving along the front four with no fixed positions?
I now retract every defense I've ever made of Man United fans as a whole.
Have you ever watched football? Cause you seem to have no understanding of formation or tactics whatsoever.

Mitch Connor

that right, misinterpret my comments, and then insult me. superb.

PHB

When we were at our best last year we had Giggs, Ronaldo and Rooney moving all over the front line and swapping positions, Saha is more capable of continuing that then Ruud is..

So what does that mean besides having a front four playing free roles?

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p.s. We played Giggs Ronaldo and Rooney up front for October and November, where we lost a huge amount of points.

We were at our best last year in the FA Cup final against Arsenal, with Ronaldo Rooney and Ruud on the front line.

Mitch Connor

i believe our best performance of the seaon was 4-2 away at arsenal, where giggs, rooney and ronaldo played superbly.

And my belief is that a mobile front 3 of rooney, ronaldo and saha would be very very effective and more fluid then if ruud is in the team and not at his best. see, swap giggs out for saha and swap rooney and saha then. would it not have been nicer to ask for clarification rather then insult me?

andyman

I think SAF should put out a stronger team against lower league opposition(bar Carling Cup) as we really don't wont a repeat of the Exeter embarrasment.

wheres me jumpa

imo the problem with united has been these free roles. call me old fashioned but i prefer a player to ply his trade in one position and get to know it inside out. players constantly switching wings/positions is not the ideal for me. i would give anything for united to switch back to a four four two and bring in the players necessary for this formation.

again this ruud basing comes up. im sorry but it wasnt that long ago that every man united fan was singing his praises, he has one season plagued by injury and people want rid of him?!!

i cant wait to see the faces on some of those fans when ruud is back to his best next year. and i really hope these threads are archived that long as i will be searching for them and posting appropriate linkage anseo.

The Muppet

wheres me jumpa wrote:

imo the problem with united has been these free roles. call me old fashioned but i prefer a player to ply his trade in one position and get to know it inside out...............................

And if he doesn't come back and score a bagfull what'll you say Mr. Old Fashioned ?

Ruud had a very poor season and as you say he was injured but I'm not sure that was the main problem. I think Ruud missed the supply of Beckham and I don't think united have addressed this issue . To do so would mean going back to a 4 4 2 with the wingers putting in quality ball. I don't see fergie changing tactice because while that may work in the premiership it does not in Europe, hence the new system. I hope Ruud can adjust his game and be the free scoring player he once was , time will tell.

wheres me jumpa

undoubtedly he misses beckham and the supply. which is why im all for the 4-4-2 and the "necessary players for this formation". but theres no doubt in my mind that ruud will return and have a much improved season on last year.

Mitch Connor

wheres me jumpa wrote:

undoubtedly he misses beckham and the supply. which is why im all for the 4-4-2 and the "necessary players for this formation". but theres no doubt in my mind that ruud will return and have a much improved season on last year.

In beckhams final season at United, he set up 3 goals for ruud, his absense based on how is was playing before we got rid is greatly exagerated.

Mitch Connor

http://www.manutd.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=199485&itype=466&icategoryid=120

manutd.com wrote:

Fergie Targets One More 'Experienced' Signing



Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to add an experienced player to his squad before the start of the new season.

The Reds boss has already added Edwin van der Sar and Park Ji-sung to his team, and now he has turned his attentions to bringing in an experienced outfield player, most likely a central midfielder.

Ferguson has attended to a number of issues from last season - in van der Sar the team has a consistently reliable goalkeeper, whilst Park's arrival provides competition for Giggs on the left and a potential breather for Ronaldo on the right.

However, Sir Alex admits footballers of the calibre and know-how United are searching for are not easy to come by.

"There is always the question of identification," he said, "the question of 'what do we need?'.

"We’ve introduced some young players in recent years and the age of the squad is very good at the moment. There's a great nucleus of youth at the club; Smith, Park, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, O’Shea – they are all young players.

"I would think we are talking about someone experienced to improve us. But finding that player is not easy."

Despite not lifting a single trophy last season, there is nothing like a call for an overhaul. Far from it. Ferguson feels his squad needs tweaking rather than tearing apart.

Ferguson remains confident that scoring goals, which, surprisingly and so fatally for United's season, proved a problem last term, will not rear its head in 2005/06.

"What happened in the Cup final wasn’t an accident," he said. "It had been happening all season.

"There is a great responsibility on players to take their chances this season. The potential for goals is there, without question.

"I’m sure it was a one-off because you cannot discount Ruud van Nistelrooy’s goalscoring abilities. He had a terribly fragmented season where the continuity of games just wasn’t there for him because of injuries.

"Wayne Rooney produced a fantastic goal tally for one so young in his first season. We hope Louis Saha can remain fit as well.

"What we don’t want to do is miss the chances at the rate we missed them last season. We’re very positive about this season."

Avoiding injuries will be crucial to the "flying start" Ferguson has demanded. Bringing the players back earlier than usual for pre-season training was designed to get his squad champing at the bit for the new campaign.

"You’re constantly on a knife edge as a coach," opines Ferguson. "You always think to yourself at the start of the season, ‘if we avoid injuries, we'll be OK.

"But then Quinton Fortune has to have a knee operation before the season has even started. Although he’ll only be out for 5-6 weeks, it is still frustrating. I just hope we get the breaks in that respect.

"There is a real need for us to be up and flying right from the first game of the season. Last season we couldn’t catch Chelsea after the first game.

"In seasons past, we’ve caught teams by Christmas and gone by them in March. But now it looks as if you’re possibly starting the Premier League saying ‘we can’t afford to lose a game’."

________________________________________________

sounds promising.

wheres me jumpa

i read on vodafone live this morning that united are bringing hteir new chinese striker on tour with them. dont recognise the name but he is obviously a youth player. anyone heard/seen this guy?

Mitch Connor

wheres me jumpa wrote:

i read on vodafone live this morning that united are bringing hteir new chinese striker on tour with them. dont recognise the name but he is obviously a youth player. anyone heard/seen this guy?

we signed him in january 2004 (i think) and sent him on loan to antwerp asa we can not get a WP for him to play in europe. Made no impact for RA in the belgian second division last season so i don't hold out much hope for the lad.

andyman

By any chance is that Dong Fangzhao(sp?)?

Headshot

andyman wrote:

By any chance is that Dong Fangzhao(sp?)?

ya pretty sure

any news on united buying ballack or any news at all

wheres me jumpa

yeah thats him andyman.

i havent heard of him beofre. after all the suggestions of the park transfer been a "pr" signing i was surprised to hear we had another asian on our books.

anybody else getting worried about the ferdinand situation? although i do think he is a tad over rated i would not like to see him leave. apparently he was offered 135,000 a week (eur/sterling?) and he rejected. i cant see united going much higher.